Avian and bat fatality rates at old-generation and repowered wind turbines in California

Lisa

August 31, 2009 8:00:00 PM

This important report, which appeared in the Wildlife Society's Journal of Wildlife Management, details the effect on raptor and bird mortality following repowering a portion of the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (APWRA) in California (USA). Repowering involves removing older generation towers and replacing them with higher capacity -- and potentially better sited -- units. The abstract to this report appears below. The full report can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

Animal Welfare Institute et.al. motion for preliminary injunction against the Beech Ridge wind energy facility

Lisa

July 10, 2009 2:22:57 PM

The Animal Welfare Institute, Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy and David G. Cowan have filed a law suit against Beech Ridge Energy LLC and Invenergy Wind LLC under the federal Endangered Species Act ("ESA"). This filing seeks preliminary injunction to halt further construction, turbine erection, and operation of the Beech Ridge industrial wind power project. The plaintiffs argue that the project, if constructed, will result in the "likely killing, injury, and other forms of "take" of endangered Indiana bats in violation of the ESA." The wind project is proposed to be located on ridgelines in Greenbrier County, West Virginia.

Smallwood comments 3rd draft Wind Turbine Guidelines of the USFWS

Lisa

June 24, 2009 1:41:18 AM

Windaction.org is grateful to Dr. Smallwood for taking the time to develop these constructive comments in response to the US Fish and Wildlife Service's 3rd draft of its wind turbine siting guidelines.

Letter urges DOI Secretary Salazar to suspend work of Wind Turbine/Wildlife Advisory Committee

Lisa

May 11, 2009 11:37:27 AM

Eric R. Glitzenstein of the public interest law firm Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal in Washington DC filed this letter with the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar on behalf of a number of conservation and citizen groups concerned with the impact of poorly sited and constructed wind power projects on bat and bird populations and other wildlife resources.

US Fish and Wildlife Service comments on Noble Environmental's proposed wind facility in Coos County

Lisa

March 12, 2009 2:10:59 PM

This letter to the US Army Corps of Engineers details the deficiencies in Noble Environmental Power's application to build a 99-megawatt wind energy facility in Coos County, New Hampshire. The US Fish and Wildlife Service makes a powerful case for why a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) should be undertaken in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The state of the birds 2009

Lisa

February 28, 2009 7:00:00 PM

Birds are a priceless part of America's heritage. They are beautiful, they are economically important-and they reflect the health of our environment. This State of the Birds report reveals troubling declines of bird populations during the past 40 years-a warning signal of the failing health of our ecosystems. At the same time, we see heartening evidence that strategic land management and conservation action can reverse declines of birds. This report calls attention to the collective efforts needed to protect nature's resources for the benefit of people and wildlife.

USFWS comments on DEIS prepared for Deerfield Wind proposal, Green Mountain National Forest

Lisa

November 25, 2008 12:21:10 PM

Iberdrola has proposed a wind energy facility to be erected on national forest lands in the Green Mountain National Forest located in Vermont. The Forest Service released the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) in September 2008. The full DEIS can be accessed at http://www.windaction.org/documents/17983. The US Fish and Wildlife Service submitted comments on the DEIS. These comments can be downloaded by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

Understanding the trade-off: Environmental costs and benefits of industrial wind energy development

Lisa

October 23, 2008 9:33:46 PM

Wildlife expert Dan Boone presented these slides at the 38th North American Symposium on Bat Research held in Scranton, PA in October 2008. Mr. Boone's presentation focused on the trade-offs of wind energy development in Eastern US balancing the benefits of this energy resource against the environmental risks, particularly to bats. Note that slides # 27, 32 and 33 of the presentation provide graphs which quantitatively estimate the potential impacts on bats and forest habitat resulting from the projected intensity of wind energy development within the eastern US states which comprise the bulk of the Appalachian mountain region. The summary slide from the presentation is listed below. The full presentation can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

George Wallace comments before House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans

Lisa

July 10, 2008 8:56:38 AM

Testimony from the House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Oversight Hearing on "Going, Going, Gone? An Assessment of the Global Decline in Bird Populations"

American Society of Mammalogists unanimous resolution: Effects of wind-energy facilities on bats and other wildlife

Lisa

May 31, 2008 8:00:00 PM